1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to motor vehicles and in particular to a motor vehicle with a non-contact temperature measuring device configured to determine a temperature of a tire.
2. Description of Related Art
Methods of measuring the temperatures of one or more tires of a motor vehicle have been previously proposed. Watkins (U.S. patent number 2003/0117275) is directed to an apparatus for detecting potential tire failure. Watkins teaches a receiver configured to sense thermal characteristics of a tire. Watkins teaches a receiver that is mounted to a portion of the motor vehicle near a wheel. When the thermal characteristics of one or more tires are determined to be above a desired threshold, the driver may be alerted to a potential danger.
Watkins teaches various types of receivers/sensors for detecting the temperature of a tire. Watkins teaches a receiver that may be a thermal sensor, but other temperature monitoring devices, such as an optical imaging device, a CCD device, or an infrared imaging device may be used.
Watkins is primarily concerned with preventing dust or debris from interfering with accurate measurements of the temperature of a tire. In the Watkins design, the receiver is disposed in a housing, including a cover configured to protect the receiver from dust and other debris. The open end of the housing is adapted to be mounted to a portion of a wheel well so that the receiver may communicate with a thermal field of the tire. The housing and cover act to shield the receiver from dust and or debris.
O'Brien (U.S. Pat. No. 6,963,273) is directed to a thermal monitoring system for a tire. The system includes one or more thermal sensors that are carried by a vehicle. O'Brien teaches the use of multiple sensors, each of which may produce signals representative of the temperatures at different locations on the tire. A signal processing device receives the signals and determines if the driver should be alerted of a potential danger associated with the tires.
O'Brien teaches a first thermal sensor and second thermal sensor that are located in a wheel well of the vehicle. The thermal sensors may be used to detect the temperatures of different sections of the tire. Signals from the thermal sensors are transmitted to a processing device. When the processing device determines that an undesirable condition of the tires is present, according to the signals from the thermal sensors, a processing device output signal is communicated to the indicator device.
Generally, the related art systems are only capable of providing a warning when tire temperatures fall outside a predetermined safe operating range. These systems are incapable of ascertaining specific and instantaneous tire temperature information. There is a need in the art for a system and method that addresses the shortcomings of the prior art listed above.